The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1887-09-08

ing Future-Good Crops and Encour-
aging Outlook for Business.
Tin response to a letter from the editor
of the Baltimore Manufacturers R>cOrd
enquiring about the present condition OF
the crops in this section and the outlook
for business, the following communication
vas written and published i'll that journal
last Saturday j
HENDERSON. n. c., Aug. 20, 81.
EdIt0, Manufacturers Rec0rd:
The present condition of crops is
very satisfactory, the yield as promis-
ing as could be expected, and the out
look for business most encouraging.
The acreage planted in tobacco this
year is smaller than heretofore-as
compared with last year, is about 90
per cent. less, which was reduced still
more by the poor stand, bringing the
average down to but little above half
crop perhaps in the actual yield.
Farmers have commenced curing the
weed, and their success up to the pres
ent writing has been highly satisfacto-
~. The crop is pronounced a good
one, and if late planting can be cured
a nicely as the early ripening the
money result to the farmers will
doubtless be as much as last years
crop. What they lose in quantity will
be made up in quality. The corn
crop is good one; and while it will
not turn out altogether as we'll as it
promised short while back, an ample
supply with good surplus will be
made. A large corn crop was made
throughout this section last year, and
as result our people have been more
independent and gone less in debt this
year than usual. Their crops have
been made at smaller cost, fewer
mortgages have been given, and
as natural consequence when they
come to sell the larger part Of the
money will go into the farmers peck
cts. This, of course, means better
times in the future-if they will profit
by the lesson taught them by the late
q hard times" The experiences of
the past few years have been fruitful of
good to the farmers at least. They
have learned economy and self-reliance,
and been stimulated and energized as
they have not been in years. The
present crops in the country prove this.
Beside the tobacco and corn crops an
abundance of sweet potatoes and corn
field peas will be gathered, while the
cotton crop is very good. A fair crop
Of wheat and oats was harvested, and
large acreage will be seeded in wheat
this fall. With good crops in the
country, business in all branches prom
Uses to be good. Speaking tor our
town alone the outlook for the fall
trade is most encouraging.
There are no new enterprises that
have not already been reported in the
Manufacturers Record, to note.
Suffice it to say that at no time in its
history has Henderson's growth been
SO steady and satisfactory, its con-
dition SO prosperous, and its future SO
bright, as now. More money is in
vested in new building enterprises now
in course of erection than at any pre-
vious time. This is the strongest
proof that our people have faith in the
future of the town. Another en-
couraging sign is the fact that foreign
capital is seeking Investment here. The
eyes of some of the largest tobacco
manufacturers and leaf dealers in the
country have turned in this direction
as afording a field of unsurpassed
richness for the investment of their
money in enterprises of this kind.
And Others will follow as the impor-
lance of Henderson as a tobacco mar
ket, almost distinctive in the character
of the peculiar type of the leaf pro-
duced in this section, becomes more
fully recognized. The prospect of soon
having the benefit of another and
competing line Of railway, with pros
poets of direct railroad connection
with Durham within the next IL
months, together with the possibility of
a road to Nashville, in Nash county, to
tap the Atlantic Coast Line, gives to
Henderson an Importance as a rail
road and commercial center that it
has not heretofore enjoyed. This
would give US the advantage of COM
petition in freights over the three
great railway systems of the South
the Richmond & Danville, Seaboard
Airline and Atlantic Coast Line.
We will have an outlet via the Rich
mond & Danville by the 1st of jan
uary. Work is progressing rapidly on
the road from GAINESVILLE to Oxford,
the only link necessary to make the
chain complete from Henderson to
Richmond. When this is completed,
with quicker transportation and cheap
er freight rates, putting us in direct
communication with the Richmond
market, where the bulk of our tobacco
finds sale, a great impetus must be
given to our town, and Henderson will
take rank as one of the growing and
rapidly developing young cities of the
New South.
In conclusion allow me to congrat
ulate you upon the excellent work you
are doing for the South through the